Endodontic Therapy Treatment

Endodontics is a special branch of dentistry that involves the tooth pulp and all of the tissues that surround the roots of the teeth. Tooth pulp is at the center of each tooth where there is a hollow area. The pulp connects to the root of the tooth. It does so with canals, between one and four canals.

The tooth pulp is what is responsible for the health of the tooth. It has the blood vessels and nerves in it, which can become damaged or diseased. If this happens, the pulp can die, which then causes the tooth to require endodontic treatment.

Most commonly, endodontic treatment consists of root canal therapy. Root canal therapy is a method through which the dead tooth pulp is removed in an effort to save the tooth from falling out or requiring extraction at a later time. Many people are fearful of getting a root canal; however, if done properly it really is not a procedure of which to be scared.

To perform a root canal, x-rays are taken first so that the dentist can see the exact shape of the tooth root. Then, local anesthetics are given to the patient so that the procedure will be painless. If, though, the area around the tooth is swollen or infected, the dentist will instead prescribe a week’s course of antibiotics so that the area will return to normal. It is important for the tooth to be free of infection and pressure before the procedure is done.

Once the pulp is removed, the dentist tracks the canal openings with an endodontic tool called an apex locator. This tool is used because it is better than an x-ray—it is faster and safer. There is no radiation with this endodontic tool (like there would be with an x-ray), so it can even be safely used with pregnant women.

Next, the canals are cleaned, sterilized, and widened with an endofile, another endodontic tool. Then the dentist fills the canals with a special material such as gutta percha and a eugenol-based cement.

Following the root canal surgery, the tooth is restored to its former capacity—the patient can chew normally, and the tooth will feel normal.

Root canals can fail—perhaps this is why so many people are so fearful of the procedure. They can fail if the dentist does not fully clean out all of the canals before filling them with the material, for example. Sometimes, too, the patient may have a fourth canal in a tooth that is hard to detect, even with the x-ray—and, the dentist may not see it at all. If he does not see the fourth canal, he will not take care of it at all; therefore, the root canal will certainly fail.

Endodontic therapy is essential because an infected tooth can affect other parts of a person’s body. Infections in the mouth can affect a person’s health—including such important factors as heart health, osteoporosis, and diabetes. Therefore, regardless of whether or not a person is scared of root canals or not, endodontic treatment cannot be avoided.